Evidence presented to the Victorian Medical Board hearing on Dr Geoffrey Edelsten this week proved that he was wrongly convicted in New South Wales last year, Dr Edelsten said yesterday.

The board has been considering the possible deregistration of Dr Edelsten after his conviction in July 1990 of conspiring seven years ago to pervert the course of justice by improperly issuing a medical certificate for the alleged hit-man Christopher Dale Flannery and of soliciting him to assault a former patient.

However, on Tuesday, Mrs Kathleen Flannery told the board her husband had been genuinely ill in hospital when the medical certificate was issued.

She said she was stunned when Dr Edelsten was convicted but she had not come forward because no one had asked her.

She said her husband had gone to Dr Edelsten's clinic to have a tattoo removed and had subsequently become ill and required treatment in hospital. He was unable to stand trial because of his medical condition, she said.

Her husband had never indicated that he had a special arrangement with Dr Edelsten to obtain a medical certificate to adjourn or delay Mr Flannery's trial.

She said that during the clinic visits for the tattoo removal Mr Flannery discovered that Dr Edelsten was facing attempted blackmail by two former patients. As a result, Mr Flannery contacted a friend in the NSW police force, Detective Bill Duff, who visited Dr Edelsten's clinic and arranged to have his post office box put under surveillance.

She said that neither she nor her husband had any subsequent contact with Dr Edelsten.

Mrs Flannery said she wanted to put the record straight. Her evidence was made public yesterday.

After its release, Dr Edelsten said; "It is fabulous news. Her appearance at the board was a complete surprise to everyone." He said his lawyers would urge the NSW Attorney-General, Mr Collins, to hold a judicial inquiry into his convictions.